September 7, 2018

THE  OLD  AND  THE  NEW

INTRODUCTION

The title of my  homily for this 22 Friday in Ordinary Time is, “The Old and the New.”

We have those 2 basic 3 letter words - old and new -  in the 2 parables or examples  in today’s gospel: old cloth and new cloth; old wine and new wine in old and new wineskins.

So this homily will be about the old and the new.

WE KNOW BOTH THESE REALITIES

These 2 concepts - the old and the new - are basic to life.

Both are valuable - both are “It all depends”.

An old penny could be worth a penny or also a $9000.  It all depends.

If we go to the city dump, we can find lots of old stuff worth nothing. We might also find something old that is worth a lot.

I went with my sister yesterday to buy a new TV set.

The old one was fading - something had gone wrong - all the faces were blue and green and purple. She bought a new one. I never read directions, but this time I installed it - with fears - but got it done.

She doesn’t believe in cable so we bought a new antenna. It didn’t work as well as the old antenna -  so I took the new one off and put the old antenna on the new TV and it worked fine.

NEW WINE OLD WINE

We know all about old and new wine - even without drinking.

Jesus knew about old and new wine - as we hear in today’s gospel..

When 2000 - New Year’s Eve arrived my niece’s husband George opened up a bottle of wine from 1900.  It was more valuable than new wine. But like cloth, if it opens up a bit, it could turn to vinegar.

Wine was kept in jars as well as leather leather bags.

HUMAN BEINGS

Human beings can dry up as well and complain their lives away.

People can die at 45 - but they are buried at 75.

Some people don’t think or read or learn or change or question or reconsider and become crochety.

Some people haven’t had a new idea in a half century.

Some people want the old Latin Mass - and drive liberals like me crazy. I say, “Well, why don’t you go back further and say the Mass in Aramaic?”

I don’t know about you, but my skin near my elbow is all wrinkled.

I can wish I was young again or I can thank my skin for giving me a good container for over 78  years now.

CONCLUSIONS: SUGGESTION

I think a good reflection on old age - is a smart move.

I think reflection on wrinkles is a good idea.

I think writing our autobiography is a great idea.